Cornus plant named ‘Watashi no Ginga’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Cornus  plant named ‘Watashi no Ginga’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; green, yellow green and yellow-colored variegated leaves; single to double-type flowers that are initially light green in color and becoming white in color with development; and good cold hardiness.

Botanical classification: Cornus hongkongensis ssp. melanotricha.

Cultivar designation: ‘Watashi no Ginga’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cornus plant, commercially grown as an ornamental evergreen tree, botanically known as Cornus hongkongensis ssp. melanotricha and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Watashi no Ginga’.

The new Cornus plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of an unnamed selection of Cornus hongkongensis ssp. melanotricha, not patented. The new Cornus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single plant from within a population of plants of the unnamed selection in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan in 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Cornus plant by bud grafting in a controlled environment in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan since 2004 has shown that the unique features of this new Cornus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Cornus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Watashi no Ginga’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Watashi no Ginga’ as a new and distinct Cornus plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Green, yellow green and yellow-colored variegated leaves.     -   4. Single to double-type flowers that are initially light green         in color and becoming white in color with development.     -   5. Good cold hardiness.

Plants of the new Cornus differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cornus have variegated leaves whereas         plants of the mutation parent selection have non-variegated         leaves.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Cornus are single to         double-types whereas flowers of plants of the mutation parent         selection are single-types.     -   3. Flower bracts of plants of the new Cornus are initially light         green in color becoming white in color with development whereas         flower bracts of plants of the mutation parent selection are         white in color.

Plants of the new Cornus can be compared to plants of Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Cornus differ primarily from plants of ‘Satomi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cornus are evergreen whereas plants of         ‘Satomi’ are deciduous.     -   2. Plants of the new Cornus have variegated leaves whereas         plants of the ‘Satomi’ have non-variegated leaves.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Cornus are single to         double-types whereas flowers of plants of ‘Satomi’ are         single-types.     -   4. Flower bracts of plants of the new Cornus are initially light         green in color becoming white in color with development whereas         flower bracts of plants of ‘Satomi’ are pink in color.

Plants of the new Cornus can be compared to plants of Cornus hongkongensis ‘Gekko’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Cornus differ primarily from plants of ‘Gekko’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cornus have variegated leaves whereas         plants of the ‘Gekko’ have non-variegated leaves.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Cornus are single to         double-types whereas flowers of plants of ‘Gekko’ are         single-types.     -   3. Flower bracts of plants of the new Cornus are initially light         green in color becoming white in color with development whereas         flower bracts of plants of ‘Gekko’ are white in color.     -   4. Plants of the new Cornus have not been observed to produce         fruits and seeds whereas plants of ‘Gekko’ produce fruits and         seeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Cornus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Cornus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical tree of ‘Watashi no Ginga’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘Watashi no Ginga’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves, developing flowers and fully developed flowers of ‘Watashi no Ginga’. Plants used for the aforementioned photographs were grown during the spring in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Yuki City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Plants were eight years old when the photographs were taken.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in ground beds in a polyvinyl-covered greenhouse in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Cornus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25.6° C. and night temperatures averaged 4.1° C. Plants were seven years old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Cornus hongkongensis ssp. melanotricha     ‘Watashi no Ginga’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of an unnamed     selection of Cornus hongkongensis ssp. melanotricha, not patented. -   Grafting information:     -   -   Type.—Bud grafting.         -   Stock.—Unnamed selection of Cornus kousa. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright evergreen tree; roughly             ovate in overall shape; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 3 meters to 5 meters.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 2 meters.         -   Trunk circumference.—About 26.5 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Aspect, primary: About 68° from main trunk             axis. Aspect, secondary: About 50° to 60° from primary             branch axis. Length, primary: About 80 cm to 120 cm.             Diameter, primary: About 8 mm to 12 mm. Internode length:             About 3.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture, developing             branches: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, mature branches: Woody.             Color, developing branches: Close to 144A becoming closer to             174A with development. Color, mature branches: Close to             197B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 8 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire; undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.         -   Luster, upper surface.—Glossy.         -   Luster, lower surface.—Non-glossy; glaucous.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Centers,             randomly-shaped sectors, close to 146B and 146C; towards the             margins, randomly-shaped sectors, close to 151B. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Centers, randomly-shaped sectors,             close to 147A and 147B; towards the margins, randomly-shaped             sectors, close to 151D. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Centers, randomly-shaped sectors, close to 146A,             143A and 143B; towards the margins, randomly-shaped sectors,             close to 9A and 151B; venation, similar to lamina colors.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Centers,             randomly-shaped sectors, close to 191A and 191B; towards the             margins, randomly-shaped sectors, close to 153D; venation,             similar to lamina colors.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 151B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Single cruciform flowers;             flowers face mostly upright.         -   Natural flowering season and flower longevity.—Plants flower             in mid to late June in Japan; flowers last about one week on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower diameter (not including flower bracts).—About 1 mm.         -   Flower length (not including flower bracts).—About 0.25 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Globular. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four in a single whorl.             Length: About 0.5 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Shape: Ovate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse, rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 157B, 157C and             142D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 142D.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About four to eight             in one or two whorls. Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About             1.7 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse, rounded.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 142B to 142C; towards the margins, close to 157D             and 154D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             NN155C to NN155D and 155C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 0.6 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About             four. Filament length: About 0.5 mm. Filament color: Close             to 155C. Anther length: About 0.1 mm. Anther shape: Round;             bilateral split. Anther color: Close to 3C. Pollen amount:             None observed. Gynoecium: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 0.3 mm. Style length: About 0.2 mm. Style             color: Close to 155C. Stigma shape: Cylindrical. Stigma             color: Close to 155C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Cornus. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Cornus have not been     observed to be resistant to specific pathogens and pests common to     Cornus plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Cornus have been observed     to tolerate high temperatures about 36.5° C. and low temperatures     about −9.4° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Cornus plant named ‘Watashi no Ginga’ as illustrated and described. 